| If you thought interviewing was only about answering | | | | big problem for the company. If she had been listening, |
| questions, you’ve been missing the point. | | | | her next question should have been, “Is there a |
| You’ve also been missing an opportunity to gather | | | | specific reason employees leave?” She may, or |
| valuable information. Listening is one of the skills most | | | | may not, have a gotten a forthright answer, but she |
| underutilized by candidates. Most people go into the | | | | would have been able to make her own judgment, and |
| interview thinking and worrying about how they will | | | | observe the interviewer for signs of discomfort with |
| answer the questions, and they forget that they are | | | | the question. Observing is another way of |
| there to find out about the job and the company. They | | | | “listening” or taking in information. |
| forget to listen, observe and read between the lines. | | | | Another candidate, Jerry, listened when he interviewed, |
| Interview Secrets Click here | | | | and picked up the thread of questions pertaining to |
| The first candidate, Reena sat answering questions | | | | stress and long hours. |
| and waiting for her turn. When asked, “Do you | | | | He asked, “On a scale of one to ten, with ten being |
| have any questions?” she was ready and took out | | | | high, how would you rate the stress and pressure |
| her list of questions. | | | | levels in this department?” And then, “Is this the |
| Sounds like she did everything perfectly. Right? Not | | | | norm, or a seasonal level workload?” |
| quite. She forgot one thing, and that was to listen. If she | | | | He had already worked in a “sweat shop” |
| had been listening, she would have heard the emphasis | | | | where he was expected to work 60 plus hours a |
| placed on retention. There were at least three | | | | week. He isn’t about to walk into that situation |
| questions asked about her plans for the future; how | | | | again. He noticed the two interviewers look at each |
| long she planned to stay with the company; why she | | | | other when he asked this question, and they agreed it |
| had only stayed with her last company two years. If | | | | was a six. Jerry figured that must mean an eight or |
| she had been listening, she might have been struck by | | | | ten, and continued to ask more questions about the |
| the focus of these questions. | | | | subject. He listened carefully – reading between the |
| “I’ve heard some concerns about retention in | | | | lines. He gathered information he wouldn’t have |
| the questions you’ve asked me. Could you tell me | | | | gotten had he not been on their wave-length – |
| the turnover rate for this department/company?” | | | | tuned in and listening. He now had enough information |
| Job Interview Skills Click here | | | | to make a decision as to whether he wanted to work |
| If she had asked that question she might have found | | | | for this company, in this department. |
| out the turnover rate was quite high. In fact, that was a | | | | |